McDonalds plans to double outlets in India by end 2008

Mumbai, Jul 6 (UNI) Global food-chain major McDonalds is planning to increase the number of outlets in India to 150 by the end of this year and up to 220 by the end of 2008, McDonalds India managing director Amit Jatia said here today.

Speaking to mediapersons here today, on the sidelines of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII's) annual retail seminar, Jatia said the company is planning expansion at the rate of 50 to 60 new outlets every year, doubling the outlets' number by the end of 2008. The comapny will invest about Rs 500 crore in next two-three years.

''Moreover, McDonalds is planning its expansion in south and willing to develop a cluster of outlets in the cities, where we have already some outlets,'' he said.

Revealing the company's expansion plan, Jatia said preferably the phase wise expansion will be exteded in the cities like Chennai, Hyderabad and Bangalore. The approximate investment in developing each outlet will be about Rs 3 crore , excluding the real estate cost, and there will be an approximate investment of Rs 500 crore in bringing up additional 110 outlets, Jatia asserted.

McDonalds currently has 110 outlets in India, serving over 2.5 million customers every month.

UNI